Internet services shut down in eastern Meghalaya

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Internet services shut down in eastern Meghalaya

The Meghalaya Government on Saturday suspended internet services on mobile telephones in six districts in the State's eastern part due to the "serious law and order situation"

The suspension came four days after the Government had restored internet services on mobile telephones in the Meghalaya capital as normalcy returned. In his notification, Commissioner and Home Secretary S. Kharlyngdoh said that the government had received reports from Director General of Police, Swaraj Bir Singh noting that a serious law and order situation continues to prevail in Khasi & Jaintia Hills and Ri Bhoi district having potential threats to public safety.

"... messaging systems like Whatsapp and social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter and You Tube are likely to be used for transmission of information like pictures, videos and texts that have the potential to inflame passions and thus exacerbate the law and order situation in the entire Khasi Hills, Jaintia Hills and Ri Bhoi district," said the notification.

Kharlyngdoh said the government has suspended mobile internet services for 48 hours starting from 3 p.m. on Saturday in East Khasi Hills, West Khasi Hills, South West Khasi Hills, Ri Bhoi, East Jaintia Hills and West Jaintia Hills.

Meanwhile, the Meghalaya police said that some people with vested interest(s) have posted provocative posts/hate messages/rumours/fake news etc in the social media which have lead to incitement of communal feelings/sense of insecurity, etc in the mind of certain sections of society.

Police has appealed to the public to desist from sending of such provocative hate posts/rumours/fake news, etc in the social media so that normalcy can be restored in Shillong city at the earliest while also appealing to the general public to desist from sharing/publicizing such posts without verifying the authenticity of the same.

Further, it is requested that moderators/administrators of various groups in social media delete such post(s), if any, posted in their groups.